Thump-!!
My heart pounds. Of course a heart would pound, but this felt different.
How do I put it? The moment I felt it, I knew I was fucked? Anyway, it wasn't a good feeling.
*Fucking hell.*
I hadn't intended to eat it, so how did I end up swallowing it?
At least it hadn't been by my own will.
*Damn it.*
What the fuck is this shit? Anyone could see it was dangerous—I hadn't had the slightest intention of eating it.
I immediately steadied my breath and checked my body.
Wooooom-!!
The energy starting from my heart gradually began to recoil.
This was dangerous.
I tried desperately to calm it, but the energy would not listen.
Rumble-!!
It's coming.
Boom-!!
"Kup."
An impact burst inside my body. Massive explosions went off in succession.
I clutched my chest and fell to my knees.
Every vein in my body bulged. It felt as if a giant had grabbed me in one hand. Like my body was being compressed by tremendous pressure.
"...Krk..."
The moment I tried to swallow a groan at the pain.
"...Damn it."
I had to move—had to drag my battered body into action now. I forced strength into my legs and leaped a short distance.
Clang-! A sword struck down right where I had been.
Frowning, I looked to the front. It was the Gyecheon Gate Lord's doing.
The bastard was catching his breath, yet still exerting strength into his body.
*That filthy old man.*
I had thought so before, but he was quick-witted. The moment I started acting strange, he attacked. A bastard with fast judgment.
"To think you would even swallow the Dragon Pearl."
His eyes were full of rage.
"You must be furious. But from the looks of it, there seems to be a problem with your Flowering. Isn't that right?"
Flowering? A subtle word. What does it mean to bloom something?
His meaningful words bothered me, but—
*Fuck.*
Now wasn't the time to worry about that. I forcibly moved my gradually stiffening body.
Barely dodging the flying sword, I took a footwork stance.
My feet were heavy. My knees were stiffening, and my muscles screamed.
I was several times slower than my usual speed. I tried to force strength into them, but even that was difficult.
This was really fucked up.
Shhheek-!!
A flying sword shot toward me. At the same time, the Gyecheon Gate Lord charged, emitting sword qi.
I was fucked. This couldn't be dodged.
*Guess I'll have to take a few holes in my body.*
Give where I must give, block where I must block. Thinking so, I moved my body.
Clang-!
[Kuk!]
Something plunged through the gap between me and the Gyecheon Gate Lord. Two swords attacked him directly.
Crackle-!!!
Lightning qi and golden flashes blocked the front.
It was Nangong Biya and Wei Xue'er.
"You damned wenches...!"
The Gyecheon Gate Lord glared at them in fury.
I was doing the same.
"You guys... I told you clearly to pull back..."
"I'll take the left."
"Yeah."
As if they couldn't hear me, they exchanged a word and nodded.
And.
Saaaaah-!!!
Energy erupted from the two of them. The energy coiling around Wei Xue'er's body began to change.
Seeing that, I shouted with veins bulging.
"You...! I told you not to do that!"
"Young Master."
Cutting off my shout, Wei Xue'er looked this way.
Strangely, her eyes were smiling.
"I'll take my scolding later. I'm sorry."
With those words, Wei Xue'er's hair turned white.
At the same time.
Crackle-!! Lightning qi exploded from Nangong Biya.
A Thunder Fang was already in her hand.
Lightning qi permeated even her hair, brushing through the air.
"Ha."
Looking at the two of them, the Gyecheon Gate Lord curled his lip.
"Laughable..."
A reaction as if it wasn't even amusing, yet as he spoke, he glanced toward Wei Xue'er.
I was the same. I had thought so from the first time I saw her, but the current Wei Xue'er and the Gyecheon Gate Lord somehow resembled each other.
Not just in appearance, but especially in their aura.
That bothered me strangely, but—
*Get up.*
Right now, rather than that, raising my body came first.
I forcibly took a stance. Even if my body wouldn't listen, I couldn't stay still.
Even if my body burst apart, I had to move. With that thought, I exerted strength into my body.
The moment.
Creak-!
Something grabbed my back. I turned around with startled eyes.
There was no one. No one was holding my back.
Yet I felt a sensation as if someone had grabbed my back. What was this? The moment the question arose—
"Move aside."
With a familiar voice.
Fwuk-!
Whatever had been holding my back yanked it hard. And my vision immediately went dark.
****************
I opened my eyes not long after.
The moment I opened my eyes, I knew.
Where this place was.
"Ha. This fucking bastard."
I spat a curse and wrinkled my face. It was a place I had grown familiar with from visiting often now.
The dark, deep floor and the familiar iron door.
The place where the bastard who had messed me up not long ago resided.
However. If there was a difference, unlike before when everything around was dark, the surroundings were strangely bright.
I looked up at the strange situation.
"What the hell is that?"
Something was floating in the sky. Something large and white.
At a glance, it looked like something one might mistake for the sun, but that wasn't the sun. If anything, it was too close.
That was probably what was lighting up the surroundings, but why had something like that suddenly appeared?
A question flashed through my mind. Right then.
Squeak.
I immediately turned my head at the sound coming from behind.
Seeing the cause of the sound, my expression hardened.
Sure enough, there was the fucking bastard.
Seeing that, I spoke.
"Hey, you son of a bitch."
Killing intent naturally seeped into my voice.
"Aren't you tired of seeing my face twice in one day?"
The black bastard sitting on a chair was looking at me.
No answer came. That bastard simply looked at me, haughty and aloof.
What the fuck was with that expression, so unbefitting of a fuck like him.
"Haa..."
A sigh escaped me naturally. Even that breath was laden with killing intent.
I already knew what he wanted.
"...I don't have time to be doing this right now."
I gritted my teeth and clenched my fist.
"Send me back quickly. Before I really kill you."
The killing intent I had been holding back exploded and was unleashed.
Only then did the bastard react to the qi bursting forth from my feet.
Black-tinted whites and purple pupils properly turned toward me.
And.
He felt my killing intent and smiled.
"Now that's more likeable."
I crushed the ground and charged at him.
******************
Screech-!!! A rough sound rang out.
It was the sound of swords clashing. Swords of different colors madly struck each other.
In an instant, dozens of flashes burst in the air.
The sky was filled with flying swords. The ground was a continuous blur of colors.
Clang-! Clang-clang-!!
Nothing could be seen. Sparks burst occasionally, and the air was torn apart in an instant.
Crackle-!!! Lightning qi suddenly spread like a thunderbolt.
The Gyecheon Gate Lord saw that and swung his sword fiercely.
Clank! The air pressure created by the blade's roar shook the lightning qi.
It was a tidal wave made of sword qi.
Amid the overflowing turmoil, Wei Xue'er swiftly thrust her sword.
Slim Moon Scenery.
A thin moon crossed the tidal wave. Through that gap, Nangong Biya cut with a single flash.
Thunder descended from the tip of her sword.
Rumble-! Light covered their vision in a flash.
It was a continuous bombardment. Though the space was clearly vast, the inside was completely filled with internal qi.
"Krrraaaaah-!!"
A shriek burst forth. The fog created by internal qi was instantly swept away. The enraged Gyecheon Gate Lord roared repeatedly.
"You damned wenches---!!!"
At that sight, Nangong Biya and Wei Xue'er steadied their swords. Wounds densely covered every corner of the Gyecheon Gate Lord's body.
They could clearly tell it was the aftermath of the battle.
However.
Sss. His regenerative ability was so high that the wounds were visibly healing.
In contrast, the two watching him were somewhat out of breath.
"...Huu..."
Wei Xue'er exhaled as if tired. Sweat ran down her cheeks and pooled at her chin.
Her fatigue had risen to an unbelievable level. It was because she had never maintained this power for so long before.
Jiuyang Tian had once told her upon seeing this.
Even if the situation called for it, never use it. He would come to save her himself, so she should run if she could, but endure if she couldn't.
She had clearly heard those words, but Wei Xue'er ignored them.
She had known from the moment she used it. That using this would cut away at her innate qi.
But she had to use it now.
Wiping the sweat from her jaw, Wei Xue'er looked to the side.
"...Sister."
At Wei Xue'er's call, Nangong Biya looked over.
"How long can you hold out?"
Nangong Biya looked just as tired as Wei Xue'er. She had already been wounded from the start, and she was fighting while stanching the bleeding with internal qi, so there was no way she was in good condition.
Hearing Wei Xue'er's question, Nangong Biya thought for a moment before speaking.
"Not long. But I'll try to hold out."
"Yes."
Knowing it was hard, neither told the other to run away in their stead. There was something they had to protect.
For that, their lives meant nothing.
Shriiiing.
The golden swords that had been hovering were recalled to Wei Xue'er. A total of six swords.
Nangong Biya put strength into the Thunder Fang she held.
Crackle-!! The lightning qi shone even more brilliantly.
Their bodies were exhausted, but their minds were intact. It was to prove that.
"...Tch..."
Seeing that, the Gyecheon Gate Lord bit his lip.
"To think you're so tenacious."
Suppressing his anger, the Gyecheon Gate Lord examined his arm. Though the wounds appeared to be healing quickly, the reality was different.
"They've slowed..."
Something had slowed. His body also felt a bit heavier.
If he considered only the battle, fighting the Sage King alone had been more painful, yet this was somehow stranger.
What was the problem? The Gyecheon Gate Lord thought, then looked at one person.
It was Wei Xue'er.
"..."
That was it. That strange energy. Since that touched his body, this abnormality had occurred.
What on earth was that? Not just the energy, but fundamentally, what was 'that thing'?
The Gyecheon Gate Lord looked at Wei Xue'er, putting strength into his eyes.
He held questions, but the truth was he already knew what it was.
"Truly arrogant for a mere vessel."
"...What did you say?"
Realizing the words were directed at her, Wei Xue'er frowned.
The Gyecheon Gate Lord uttered no more words.
Maintaining his silence, he gradually put strength into his body.
He had to finish this quickly.
"The other brats aren't coming... It seems something has happened."
If reinforcements were coming, they would have arrived by now. The fact that they hadn't come yet meant something had definitely blown up.
He had to hurry and check.
"Huuuuuu-!"
The Gyecheon Gate Lord gathered all his strength and condensed it at his toes. Seeing that, the two took a guarded stance.
They anticipated a fierce offensive. They would somehow block it. With that thought, they exerted their strength.
"Huuhp!!"
The Gyecheon Gate Lord shot forward like a drawn bowstring. He was fast. Wei Xue'er and Nangong Biya moved their bodies.
They had to attack and block. With that intention, two streaks of light shot forth.
Thud-thud-!!
"...!"
"Huh!"
The two widened their eyes at the unfolding sight. The attacks had landed.
But that wasn't why they were surprised.
The Gyecheon Gate Lord, as if he had anticipated it, barely avoided his vitals and rushed past the two.
Only then did they realize the Gyecheon Gate Lord's objective.
Thus, belatedly, Nangong Biya wrapped herself in lightning qi and chased the Gyecheon Gate Lord, but...
"Stop."
The Gyecheon Gate Lord had already reached his destination.
Something was in his hand.
It was none other than Jiuyang Tian, who had lost consciousness.
"If you move, this one's life is forfeit."
At those words, the two stiffened rigidly.
Confirming their reaction, a smile rose to the Gyecheon Gate Lord's lips.
As expected.
Those wenches hadn't been able to fight properly because they were protecting this one.
Then, wouldn't it be enough to simply grab this one?
"Lamentably dull despite your skills."
The Sage King had been no different. He too had fought to protect the women, but he had fought while blocking off all paths so that such a method couldn't be taken in the first place.
These two lacked that much experience and proficiency, and thanks to that, he had gained the upper hand.
"Drop your swords and kneel."
There was no answer, so the Gyecheon Gate Lord put strength into his hand. Only then did they react.
Wei Xue'er and Nangong Biya relaxed their strength.
Seeing that, the corners of the Gyecheon Gate Lord's mouth rose.
It seemed to be going according to plan.
But.
"Now, hurry up and kneel."
"..."
"..."
For some reason, the two had merely released their strength. They did not bend their knees as the Gyecheon Gate Lord had commanded.
They simply stared at Jiuyang Tian in his hand with somewhat strange eyes.
At that sight, the Gyecheon Gate Lord's brow narrowed.
"Can you not hear my voice? Must I break this one's neck before you will listen—"
"Remove your hand. Worm."
He startled.
The Gyecheon Gate Lord, who had been speaking, shut his mouth. And he looked at his own hand.
A voice had definitely been heard.
And from Jiuyang Tian, at that.
When he checked, the bastard still had his eyes closed, seemingly unconscious.
Had he misheard? Just as the Gyecheon Gate Lord had that thought.
Jiuyang Tian spoke and opened his eyes.
The Gyecheon Gate Lord met his gaze.
In that instant.
Jiuyang Tian brought his hand to the Gyecheon Gate Lord's face.
"Disgusting."
Kwaaaaaaaah-!!! Black flames poured onto the Gyecheon Gate Lord's face.